In recent years, as typified by an electrowetting type display element, a display element that displays information by utilizing a transfer phenomenon of a conductive liquid due to an external electric field has been developed and put to practical use.
Specifically, in such a conventional display element, a display space is formed between first and second substrates, and the inside of the display space is divided by ribs (partitions) in accordance with a plurality of pixel regions (see, e.g., Patent Document 1). Moreover, a conductive liquid is sealed in each of the pixel regions, and signal electrodes are arranged so as to cross scanning electrodes and standard electrodes (reference electrodes) that are parallel to each other. In each of the pixel regions of this conventional display element, a non-effective display region is defined by a light-shielding layer provided on one of the first and second substrates, and an effective display region is defined by an aperture formed in the light-shielding layer.
Further, the conductive liquid is colored, e.g., black and used as a shutter for the aperture. In the conventional display element, voltages are appropriately applied to the signal electrodes, the scanning electrodes, and the standard electrodes, so that the conductive liquid is moved to the non-effective display region (non-aperture region) side or the effective display region (aperture) side in each of the pixel regions, thereby changing the display color on a display surface.